Moffitt Researchers Develop a Novel Method To Help Reduce Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

The ability of the bacterium E. coli to survive in antibiotics could be either promoted or hindered depending on the sequence of antibiotics given.

The development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be effectively hindered with a combination and sequence of antibiotics, says a new study.

A novel mathematical method, inspired by Darwinian evolution, to use current antibiotics to eliminate or reduce the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been developed by the researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida.

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Researchers have found that soil bacteria and bacteria that cause human diseases have recently swapped at least seven antibiotic-resistance genes.

Nearly 2 million people in the US become infected with bacteria that are resistant to one or more types of antibiotics each year.

The researchers showed that the ability of the bacterium E. coli to survive in antibiotics could be either promoted or hindered depending on the sequence of antibiotics given.

The researchers found that 70 percent of different sequences of 2 to 4 antibiotics lead to resistance to the final drug.

Antibiotic-Resistance Of Bacteria Is At Least 30,000 Years Old
Scientists at McMaster University have found that bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a natural phenomenon that predates the modern clinical antibiotic use.

"Our results suggest that, through careful ordering of antibiotics, we may be able to steer evolution to a dead end from which resistance cannot emerge," said lead author Daniel Nichol from Moffitt.

Different combinations or sequence of antibiotics can be used to fight antibiotic-resistant infections. However, there are many antibiotics and it would be extremely difficult to experimentally identify the best combination or sequence of drugs.

'Natural' Way to Beat Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs Identified
Bacteria possess the natural ability to become vulnerable to existing antibiotics. To kill their competitors, these bacteria need to relinquish their ability to defy antibiotics.

Moffitt researchers overcame this problem by developing a novel mathematical approach to analyze antibiotic resistance.

"Our results can be easily tested in the laboratory, and if validated could be used in clinical trials immediately, as all of the compounds we studied are FDA-approved and commonly prescribed," said senior study author Jacob G. Scott.

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Many people believe antibiotics are effective to fight against increasing number of infections but are not aware that its' misuse can cause drug resistance.

The researchers concluded that their discovery could serve as a caution to healthcare workers, as random prescription of drugs could lead to antibiotic resistance.

Source-Medindia